In Ecuador, political daily routine has for a long time been characterized by road blockades, protest marches, and uprisings of the indigenous population. In March of this year, the indígenas organized violent demonstrations to express their protest against the policy of the Palacio government. Most of the 14 indigenous ethnics groups registered in the South American country, which make up 30 to 40 percent of the total population, live close to the subsistence level.